How to decarb weed: The complete overview with all the methods, backed with science

How to decarb weed: The complete overview with all the methods, backed with science

If you are into cannabis, then you probably have heard about edibles and if you tried those you probably have wondered at least once why some edibles barely get you high while others are extremely strong. Of course this might depend on how much you ingested, or the potency of the weed used to make them, but more often than not it boils down to decarboxylation, more exactly if it was properly done or not. Decarbing is the essential process of heating raw cannabis to activate its THC and CBD. In this blog, you’ll learn exactly why this matters, how to do it effectively, and how to troubleshoot common problems along the way. Get ready to unlock the full potential of your cannabis with Sirius!

What does decarbing cannabis mean and why is it important?

Decarbing cannabis, aka the decarboxylation process, is the essential process of heating cannabis to activate its cannabinoids. Raw cannabis flowers contain THCA and CBDA, which aren’t psychoactive or fully effective medicinally. By applying heat, these compounds transform into THC and CBD, unlocking their pharmacological potential. What is decarbed weed? It’s cannabis that’s been activated and is ready to deliver its therapeutic or recreational effects. For example when smoking a joint your cannabis is being decarbed as it burns due to the heat of the burning tobacco and/or weed. Whether you’re making edibles or oils, decarbing ensures your cannabis gives you the effects you are looking for. Without it, your herb stays in its raw, inactive, and boring state. You already have decarbed your weed? Then you are ready for the next step and can read our blog about Everything you need to know about weed edibles!

The science behind decarboxylation

So, the idea of decarbing weed is all about turning raw cannabis into something that's bioavailable, so it has effects on your body and mind. But what’s the science behind it? Let’s break it down.

Decarboxylation is a chemical process that transforms inactive compounds like THCA and CBDA, which are naturally produced by cannabis plants, into active THC and CBD by applying heat over time. When you decarboxylate cannabis, the heat removes a carboxyl group (COOH) from the molecules, releasing CO2 (carbon dioxide). This reaction is what makes cannabinoids bioavailable, meaning they can now interact with your body’s endocannabinoid system and get you high or stoned.

Several factors affect how to decarboxylate weed successfully. Temperature and time are the big players, but other factors such as moisture, pressure, and exposure to an air flow matter too.

In this blog, we will try to keep things straightforward to keep a practical aspect to help you. Basically, to decarb weed the general rule to keep in mind is: 

• too hot for too long, and you risk degrading cannabinoids.
• too cold and too fast, and the process may be incomplete.

Moisture levels in your cannabis also matter; dry herb decarbs more efficiently, while wet material may need extra time for example if you want to decarb freshly harvested flowers.

Optimal temperature and time to decarb weed

When it comes to decarbing weed, precision matters. The right decarb temp and time ensure you activate your cannabinoids without losing potency or flavor, and if you do it properly it is one of the most efficient ways to consume cannabis (talk about getting the best high for your money!). So, what temp to decarb weed is ideal? Let’s get into the details.

The right temperature to decarb weed (Celsius) is between 105-120°C. Lower temperatures take longer but preserve the delicate terpenes that enhance flavor and therapeutic effects. Higher temperatures can shorten the process but risk degrading terpenes and even cannabinoids. The color of a perfectly decarbed weed will vary depending on the color your weed was before being heated, but in general it will be between a light green or brown color. You can find the scientific sources we examined to give you these temperatures and time at the end of this blog!

Here’s our decarb chart:

Why time and temperature matter

Using the right temperature during your decarb process ensures that the THCA and CBDA fully convert to THC and CBD. However, if the heat is too high, you might lose volatile terpenes, which contribute to flavor and the entourage effect, or even burn your herbs completely. On the other hand, going too low or short can result in incomplete activation and therefore lower potency.

Another thing to note here is that the best temperature to decarb weed depends on what aspect you want to bring out the most. If you're looking for medicinal effects then you are probably looking to decarb CBD the best. Although there isn't a way to decarb CBDA without decarbing THCA, you can use the chart above following the CBDA to CBD method. From there, you can make CBD oil at home, but you could also buy CBD oils directly because those contain little to no THC. You can find CBD oils as well as other CBD-containing products like supplements or skincare in Sirius’ online CBDShop!

How to decarb weed at home: methods and techniques

Decarboxylating cannabis at home is pretty simple, but each method has its own nuances and little things to be careful of. Here’s an in-depth look at various techniques to help you achieve the best results.

Decarbing weed in the oven

The oven method is the most common and probably easiest method to do for everyone. It’s going to be the most reliable for most of you, as long as you pay attention to temperature and timing.

Step-by-step guide:

1. Preheat your oven: Set it to 105-120°C for a slow and effective process (see our decarb chart). You should use an oven thermometer for accuracy.
2. Prepare your cannabis: Break it into small pieces using a weed grinder. You do not need to grind it ultra finely because too fine weed will burn more easily.
3. Line your baking sheet: Use parchment paper or aluminum foil to prevent the cannabis from sticking and to make cleanup easy. If you have one you can use a decarb box to place your weed inside!
4. Spread the cannabis: Lay your cannabis evenly across the baking sheet and avoid clumping to ensure that every part gets heated evenly.
5. Bake: Place the tray in the middle of the oven and bake for 30-45 minutes. Mix the cannabis halfway through the process to promote a consistent decarboxylation.
6. Cool and store: Once the cannabis turns a golden-brown color, it usually means it’s ready. Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely before handling it.

Using this method is the ideal, most common way to make infusions like cannabutter or oils. Learn how to make your own cannabis butter with this step-by-step plan.

Sous vide decarb

Sous vide, the French term for “under vacuum”, is a cooking method becoming more and more popular for its convenience and consistency and has been used in restaurants for decades. It consists of a hot water bath circulating around a sealed plastic bag that contains your ingredients (in your case: weed). Because of the precise temperature control and the fact that it is completely sealed, it is one of the best ways to decarb weed to preserve terpenes and flavor without producing any smell during the process, but it takes a lot more time and might not be the most efficient to convert all the THCA due to heat being limited at 95°C (because at higher temperatures, the water would start to boil).

Step-by-step guide:

1. Set up your sous vide machine: Fill a large container with water and set the temperature to 95°C (or the maximum your circulator can get).
2. Prepare your cannabis: Place your cannabis in a vacuum-sealed bag or a ziplock bag using the water displacement method to remove the air. Ensure the bag is properly closed so you don’t lose your weed in the water bath!
3. Submerge the bag: Ensure the cannabis bag is fully submerged in the water bath.
4. Decarb: Leave the cannabis in the bath for 90-120 minutes.
5. Cool and store: After the time is up, remove the bag, let it cool, and store the cannabis in an airtight container or use it right away.

Instant pot decarb

Using an instant pot (aka a pressure cooker) is a discreet and nearly odor-free method for decarbing cannabis, making it an excellent choice if you are seeking a more private option. An instant pot provides very consistent heating, making a reliable decarboxylation process without too strong of a smell compared to other methods.

Step-by-step guide:

1. Prepare the cannabis: Place your cannabis in a mason jar and screw the lid loosely to allow pressure to release, this is very important or it might explode.
2. Add water: Fill the Instant Pot with enough water to reach the middle of the jar.
3. Set the instant pot: Use the "Pressure Cook" or "Manual" setting and cook on high pressure for 40 minutes.
4. Release the pressure: Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10-15 minutes, then remove the jar carefully.
5. Cool the jar: Let the jar cool before opening to avoid losing volatile terpenes.

Air fryer and microwave techniques

So far the methods we covered are relatively safe for you and your herb, but people have experimented with many other techniques to decarb weed. When you don’t have access to any of the tools needed for the previous techniques, you might have to decarb with an air fryer or a microwave but these methods require caution to make sure you don’t ruin your product.

• Air fryer decarb:

1. Set the air fryer: Preheat to 120°C.
2. Prepare your cannabis: grind it and place it in a mason jar or a heatproof dish to avoid direct airflow. In any case, you should loosely cover your weed to make sure it does not fly everywhere and maintain terpenes (and smell) enclosed.
3. Cook: Heat for 30 to 40 minutes, shaking the jar or stirring the cannabis halfway through.

• Microwave decarb:

1. Prepare cannabis: grind your weed and place it evenly on a microwave-safe dish like a regular eating platter. An easy method is to enclose it inside a parchment paper papillote and put it in your microwave.
2. Heat in short bursts: Use medium power (400-500W) in 15-20 second intervals, stirring or mixing between each interval to avoid overheating and hot spots. 5-8 cycles should be enough but we recommend you guide yourselves with the color change.

Both the air fryer and microwave methods are quick and convenient if you don’t have another choice, but they are far from ideal. The air fryer’s strong airflow and the microwave’s unpredictable heat often result in uneven decarbing or even burning, which could ruin your product.

Using decarb machines

Decarb machines are designed to simplify the decarboxylation process. These machines can maintain exact temperatures and times, and many models, such as decarb boxes, are built to contain smells. Some are even automated and require minimal effort—simply add your cannabis, press a button, and let the machine handle the rest!

Decarbing other cannabis products

Decarboxylation isn’t just for dried cannabis flowers. Concentrates and fresh flowers can also be decarbed if you want to ingest them, but they require more precise techniques to become psychoactive. Whether it’s wax, kief, hash, or fresh buds, here’s how to get it done.

Decarbing concentrates

Concentrates like wax, kief, and hash are more potent than flowers, but because they are just extracted from the plant, they also require to be decarbed. However, because of their potency and form, they require specific decarbing techniques to have the best results and should be of the best quality in any case. Here we will explain to you how to decarb weed concentrates such as wax, kief, rosin, or hash using the oven method because it is the most common one.

Decarbing wax

If you have worked with wax, you know it is very sticky and highly concentrated, making it ideal for potent edibles. To transfer your wax easily without making a mess, you can use the Puffco Hot Knife, a heated dabbing tool that makes working with sticky cannabis concentrates easy and simple!

Steps:

1. Prepare the wax: spread it on a parchment paper or silicon pad placed on top of a baking sheet.
2. Preheat the oven: Set to 110°C.
3. Bake: Heat the wax for 20-25 minutes. During this process you should keep a close eye on bubbling, because it indicates the THCA is converting to THC and releases CO2 gas.
4. Cool and store: Just when the bubbling stops, remove and let cool before use.

Decarbing Kief

Kief is the collection of trichomes that collects at the bottom of your grinder, and is a really good starting material to make infusions due to its high cannabinoid content and fine powder consistency.

Steps:

1. Set the oven: Preheat to 105° C. If you can choose, we recommend not using the convection fan because it might blow your kief everywhere.
2. Spread evenly: spread it on a parchment paper or silicon pad placed on top of a baking sheet.
3. Bake: Heat for 20 minutes, mixing it gently halfway through.
4. Cool: Allow the kief to cool completely before incorporating into recipes.

How to decarb rosin

Rosin is a solventless concentrate of cannabis that’s pretty easy to decarb and can be used in edibles or oils.

Steps:

1. Set the oven: Preheat to 100-105°C.
2. Use a heat-safe container: Place the rosin in a mason jar or silicone dish.
3. Bake: Heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Here you might see bubbles forming during this process due to the THCA being converted to THC and releasing CO2.
4. Check bubbling: When the bubbling stops, the decarb process is complete.

Decarbing hash

Hash requires a bit more work than the other concentrates we previously described because the form it comes in isn’t the most appropriate, let us explain.

Steps:

1. Prepare the hash: because hash is very dense, you first need to break it into very small pieces and spread it on parchment paper. For this an electric grinder might actually be your best ally, but it always depends on the exact form of your hash (dense, sticky, wax-like).
2. Preheat the oven: Set to 100°C. Hash is particularly prone to burning so watch out for the heat if your oven is inaccurate.
3. Bake: Heat for 30 minutes, mixing it every 10 minutes.
4. Cool and store: Let the hash cool and store it in an airtight container or use it right away.

 
Decarbing fresh flower

So you are growing weed at home? I hope you are using high quality cannabis seeds from Sirius’ Seedshop and the best growing equipment from our online Growshop. In any case, you will be happy to know that you can decarb fresh cannabis flowers as well! But because they contain higher moisture levels than dried bud, the decarb process is slightly different.

Steps to decarb fresh weed flowers:

1. Prepare the flowers: Break the fresh flowers into small pieces but don’t grind them, they will just clog your grinder
2. Preheat the oven: Set it to 100°C or 110°C, not more.
3. Extend the baking time: Bake for 60-90 minutes to allow the moisture to evaporate.
4. Stir occasionally: Stir every 20-30 minutes to ensure even heating.
5. Cool and store: Let the flower cool before using it in infusions or recipes.

Smoking decarbed weed

Smoking decarbed weed is definitely possible, but it comes with its own set of pros and cons. When cannabis is decarboxylated, all the cannabinoids, such as THC and CBD, are fully activated and ready to deliver their effects. This means that smoking decarbed weed provides immediate access to the psychoactive and therapeutic benefits without relying on the heat from a joint or vaporizer to trigger the chemical reaction.

However, there are some trade-offs. Decarbed cannabis tends to be drier, which can lead to a harsher smoking experience; the decarboxylation process can degrade some of the terpenes and lower the overall aroma and flavor. Finally, the heat from your joint might be too high and burn the THC in your weed, which is more sensitive to heat than THCA.

So, while you can technically smoke decarbed weed, it’s not the most recommended thing. Instead, you should consider making space cakes with it!

How to use decarbed weed

Once you’ve decarboxylated your cannabis, you can use it to make a wide variety of infused products, including potent edibles, oils, and tinctures. Cannabutter and cannabis-infused oils are among the most versatile options, as cannabinoids bind well with fats. Simply simmer decarbed weed with butter or oil for a few hours, strain the mixture, and you’re ready to bake cookies, whip up pasta, or drizzle oil over a salad! For more inspiration, check out classic recipes like weed brownies.

However we have to warn you. If you follow our guide properly the decarb process should be perfect and therefore the final product might be more potent than the edibles you are used to. Edibles can be very strong and give a high that's noticeably longer and different than just smoking weed so make sure you read our blog on the responsible and safe enjoyment of cannabis edibles. Also, to guide you in your choice when dozing your weed to make edibles, you can use an online decarboxylation calculator.

How to decarb weed and infuse in one step

If you’re short on time, it’s possible to combine decarboxylation and infusion in a single step. Use a slow cooker or a double boiler to gently heat your cannabis with butter, ideally clarified, or oil at low temperatures (90-100°C) for 2-4 hours. This method allows the cannabinoids to activate and bind to the fat simultaneously. While it’s not as precise as separate steps, it’s a convenient and flavorful option.

Terpenes and flavors: does it really matter?

Terpenes, like beta-caryophyllene, beta-pinene, limonene among many, not only influence the flavor of your cannabis edibles but also enhance their effects through the entourage effect. To preserve terpenes, use lower temperatures during decarbing and infusion. Curious about how terpenes impact your cannabis experience? Check out the effects of terpenes in cannabis.

FAQ on decarbing weed

How long to decarb weed?

The time it takes to decarb depends on the method and temperature. Typically, using an oven at 105-120°C, it takes 30-45 minutes to decarb cannabis fully. Lower temperatures may require up to an hour, while higher temperatures can shorten the process to around 20-30 minutes. Keep in mind that rushing with too much heat risks degrading cannabinoids and terpenes.
 
What should decarbed weed look like?

Visually, decarbed weed appears slightly darker than raw cannabis. It transitions from a vibrant green to a golden brown color. The texture becomes drier, and the aroma intensifies a lot, with a roasted or toasted smell. If it looks overly dark or black, it’s likely overcooked, and some potency may have been lost so be careful.

What is decarbed weed?

Decarbed weed refers to cannabis that has undergone the process of decarboxylation, which activates cannabinoids like THC and CBD. Without decarbing, the compounds in raw cannabis (e.g., THCA and CBDA) remain inactive, meaning you won’t experience their psychoactive or medicinal effects. Decarbed weed is ready to use in edibles, oils, tinctures, or other cannabis-infused products.

Can you eat decarbed weed?

Yes, you can consume decarbed weed directly, but the flavor and texture are less than ideal. Instead, it’s better to mix it into recipes, infuse it into butter or oil, or create tinctures for a more enjoyable experience.

Can you smoke decarbed weed?

Smoking decarbed weed works just like raw cannabis because the cannabinoids are already activated. However, the flavor may be less potent, and the smoke might feel harsher due to the drier texture. It is also not the most efficient way to smoke weed because the heat from your joint might degrade some of the THC before it gets in your lungs.

How to make weed brownies without decarbed weed?

If you skip the decarbing step, the cannabinoids won’t activate fully, and your brownies won’t have the desired effects. Some of the THC and CBD might get decarbed during the cooking process of your cookies or brownies but it usually is far from being enough to activate it fully. To ensure potency, always decarb your cannabis before adding it to recipes.

How long does decarbed weed last / How long can you store decarbed weed?

Properly stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, decarbed weed can last up to 6 months but past that point it will noticeably degrade faster than regular weed. For longer storage, consider vacuum-sealing and freezing.
 
Sources used:
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Wang, M., Wang, Y.-H., Avula, B., Radwan, M. M., Wanas, A. S., van Antwerp, J., Parcher, J. F., ElSohly, M. A., & Khan, I. A. (2016). Decarboxylation study of acidic cannabinoids: A novel approach using ultra-high-performance supercritical fluid chromatography/photodiode array-mass spectrometry. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 1(1), 262–271. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2016.0020

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